MLB Power Rankings: Week 8
12 - Toronto Blue Jays (26-23)
Not a good week at all for the Blue Jays. They lost 3 of 4 to the Yankees then got swept by the Orioles all at home. That’s not a good look for a team that’s trying to win a division.
11 - Minnesota Twins (25-23)
Minnesota hasn’t looked great lately. The lineup is really struggling to find consistency and when your best hitter’s batting average is .231 that’s a reason for concern. However, great pitching can carry a subpar offense and that’s exactly what the Twins have. They rank in the top 3 in MLB in team ERA, WHIP and BAA.
10 - Los Angeles Angels (26-23)
The Halos earned a series split with the Orioles and a series win against the Twins last week. They currently sit in 3rd place in the AL West, 4 games behind the Rangers in 1st. Shohei Ohtanti is a baseball god and continues to perform at an elite level at the plate and on the mound.
9 - Boston Red Sox (26-22)
The Red Sox bounced back nicely from a 4 game losing streak with a 4 game winning streak and a pair of series wins against the Mariners and Padres. Boston has an elite offense, ranking in the top 5 in most team stats. The pitching on the other hand ranks in the bottom 5 of most stats. How far this team can go on their bats alone will be interesting to watch.
8 - Arizona Diamondbacks (28-20)
Arizona has won 8 of their last 10 games and sit just 1.5 games back of the Dodgers for the NL West lead. The Diamondbacks aren’t going to wow you with their pitching, past Zac Gallen. The strength of this team is their hitting which ranks as one of the best in the league.
7 - New York Yankees (29-20)
The Yankees had a statement series win last week against the Blue Jays. Aaron Judge is on a hot streak right now and we saw a gritty-side to his game that we haven’t seen much of. They have a big series against the Orioles this week, who they are trying to gain ground on in the AL East.
6 - Houston Astros (28-19)
The Astros have won 8 straight games and are finally starting to look like the defending champs. The pitching staff have the best ERA in all of baseball and if they continue to pitch like that, it’s only a matter of time before they regain the division lead.
5 - Texas Rangers (29-18)
The surprising Texas Rangers continue to hold their lead in the AL West. Nathon Eovaldi has looked like a Cy Young winner his past few outings and it looks like a Jacob deGrom return is on the horizon. If a locked in Eovaldi and a healthy deGrom are rolling, this Rangers team is going to be a legitimate threat for the division crown.
4 - Baltimore Orioles (31-16)
We all thought the Orioles would be pretty good this season but I don’t think anyone would have thought they would be this good. They own the second best record in baseball and have played great baseball against division opponents. They have a chance to extend their division dominance against the Yankees this week.
3 - Los Angeles Dodgers (30-19)
The Dodgers had a tough weekend against a hot Cardinals team and they got more bad news with their pitching health. Dustin May is out at least 2 months with a forearm strain and Julio Urias landed on the IL with a hamstring strain. They will once again turn to their rookies to step up, this time in the rotation. They have two huge series this week on the road against the Braves and Rays.
2 - Atlanta Braves (29-18)
The Braves continue to keep their lead in the AL East. Ronald Acuna Jr. is on pace to have one of the greatest seasons of all-time. They get a good test at home this week against the Dodgers and the Phillies.
1 - Tampa Bay Rays (35-14)
Tampa Bay’s division lead is slowly shrinking but they still remain the top team in the power rankings. The Rays continue to play great baseball and it’s gonna be hard to beat a team that’s top in 2 in pitching and hitting. They get a chance to avenge their 2020 World Series loss to the Dodgers at home over the weekend.